The League of Women Voters of Woodland last week presented its annual Democracy Works Award to the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office’s Neighborhood Court team, District Attorney Jeff Reisig announced.
Since 2006, this award has recognized individuals and organizations throughout Woodland that promote public service and local public policy innovations. Members of the Neighborhood Court team joined the League of Women Voters of Woodland for dinner at Kitchen 428 to celebrate the occasion.
Launched in June 2013, Neighborhood Court is an innovative diversion program based on the principles of restorative justice that offers an alternative to criminal court. Rather than pursuing a case for criminal prosecution, the District Attorney’s Office refers certain low-level misdemeanors and infractions to Neighborhood Court.
Neighborhood Court aims to provide individualized outcomes for these cases that are designed to educate and address the underlying causes of criminal misconduct while prioritizing the acceptance of responsibility and reparation of harms to the community and any direct victims affected.
Neighborhood Court is supported by eight part-time and full-time staff members, with a team that includes more than 200 volunteers from throughout Yolo County who donate their time to make this program a reality.
Reisig and Supervising Deputy District Attorney Chris Bulkeley addressed the audience at the dinner prior to accepting the award, with Reisig expressing gratitude for the league’s recognition.
“While the statistical success of the program speaks for itself,” he said, “it is the recognition that the program embodies some of the best aspects of what is possible in a democratic society when community members work together to solve problems that makes us all especially proud.”
For more information about the Neighborhood Court program or to sign up as a volunteer, visit https://yoloda.org/nc or email program staff at neighborhoodcourt@yolocounty.org or 530-666-8395.